Description
This classic German Beef Rouladen recipe features tender beef rolled with mustard, onions, bacon, pickles, and carrots, slow-baked in a rich homemade gravy. Perfectly seared and oven-braised for hours, these flavorful roulades make a comforting dish served traditionally with spaetzle, red cabbage, or mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Beef Rouladen
- 3 pounds beef rouladen
- 3 ounces keens hot mustard
- 2 medium onions, shredded or finely chopped
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch sticks
- 6 pickles, cut into 1/4 inch sticks
- 2 pounds bacon, thin cut, slices cut in half
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Gravy
- 4 cups water (or more as needed)
- 3/4 cup red wine (such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Malbec)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Prepare Beef: If your beef rouladen pieces are long, cut them roughly into 4×4-inch squares for easier rolling.
- Assemble Rouladen: Lay out all beef pieces on a cutting board. Spread about a teaspoon of mustard on each piece, sprinkle with onion, place a piece of bacon on top, and season with salt and pepper. Add one or two sticks of carrot and pickle depending on size. Roll each piece tightly and secure with a toothpick.
- Sear Rouladen: Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan or skillet. Add 6 rouladen at a time without overcrowding and sear on all sides until browned. Transfer seared rouladen to a large oven-safe Dutch oven with a lid.
- Make Gravy: In a bowl, whisk 1 cup flour with about 3 to 4 cups water to make a slurry. Pour about 1 cup of this slurry into the skillet with the drippings, whisk continuously until it thickens and the flour cooks through. Add 1/4 cup red wine and cook a couple more minutes while whisking. Pour this gravy over the rouladen in the Dutch oven. Repeat searing and gravy making steps in batches as needed to cook all rouladen. Ensure all rouladen are covered with gravy.
- Preheat Oven: Set oven to 350°F (175°C) and position rack in the middle.
- Bake: Cover Dutch oven with lid and bake rouladen for 2½ to 3 hours until tender and flavorful.
- Serve: Let rouladen rest a few minutes after baking. Serve warm with traditional sides like spaetzle, German red cabbage, or mashed potatoes.
Notes
- For best flavor, use a good quality red wine such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Malbec in the gravy.
- Cutting beef rouladen into uniform 4×4-inch pieces helps ensure even cooking and easy rolling.
- Do not overcrowd the skillet when searing to achieve a good brown crust on each rouladen.
- This dish pairs wonderfully with spaetzle, red cabbage, or mashed potatoes for a complete traditional meal.
- Make sure the rouladen are mostly submerged in gravy during baking to keep them moist and tender.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 rouladen with gravy (approximately 6 oz)
- Calories: 650 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 40 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 45 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
